Why You Need Your Resume Ready - At All Times!

If you take a moment to think about your resume, what comes to mind?

Are you thinking about how highly polished and professional it is? Does your resume make you proud because skills and expertise are strongly positioned in a branded, targeted, and on-trend document?

Or…

Does the very thought of your resume make you feel uncomfortable; uncertain…maybe because it has been a long time since you’ve dusted it off and gave it a good overhaul? Perhaps you know that it needs a fair amount of work to position you as the expert that you truly are?

If you fall into the latter, watch out.

You might be employed and happy, but things can change on a dime. Here in Calgary (where I am situated) there are hundreds of people being laid off every month…shell-shocked and floundering, so I know. I am witnessing first-hand the reactions of people caught off guard. Unprepared.

I get a half dozen to dozen requests for resume help *NOW please!*, every month from new graduates to top executives.  These people can’t wait.  Job competition is fierce and everyone needs a solid resume to get their foot in the door, or to help advance their career.

Yet because job competition is so tough, demand is high, and my schedule is booked out for several weeks. This means that many people – who were complacent with their core career tool (the resume) – are in a pickle.

All jobs are temporary; how are you preparing for your next big move?!

If you haven’t touched or updated your resume in more than 6 months – get on it! Don’t wait for the other shoe to drop…..a layoff notice….a dip in the economy…..a company restructuring or merger.

Similarly, don’t wait for that dream job to present itself and force you to deliver a strategically designed marketing tool that will help you secure the coveted role in a highly competitive market.

Yes, don’t wait.

Your resume should be ready at all times, so if a job loss or job opportunity presents itself, you are prepared.

As the end of the year draws near, put a note in your calendar to update your resume and make a professional goal to revisit and refresh it at regular intervals.  Regardless if you are new to your career or your job, or a top executive with a solid history of success, these two small steps  – done now  – could give your career the advantage it needs:

1. Get career documents perfectly polished (resume, cover letter, LinkedIn profile, executive biography, references sheet, and thank you letter). Yes, potentially all of these. Understand the tools you may need to support your job search and employ modern strategies.

1. Beef up your online presence. Keep information on-brand and highly professional. If you are not online you will come across as invisible or behind the times to prospective employers and potentially miss out on opportunities.

If you are unsure about how to tackle a modern job search alone; seek help. Qualified, certified professionals can help. Reach out to inquire about the executive job search services I offer at Career Impressions.   If I can’t personally help, I’ll provide you with resources or point you in a direction that can.

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Adrienne Tom is a multi-certified, award-winning Master Resume Strategist, Employment Strategist, and Interview Coach at Career Impressions - she helps executives and top management professionals secure a more lucrative career. Connect with her on LinkedIn to learn more about accelerating your own job search!

Other top contributions by Adrienne:

1. Three Strategies for a High Impact Executive Resume

2. The Five Ps of Interview Perfection

3. How to write Lucrative LinkedIn Recommendations